1. Keeping Livestock Healthy
Joy Jones, Tillamook County 4-H & Agriculture Agent
Oregon State University Extension Service

2. Keeping Livestock Healthy
Prepare for your animal before you get one
Learn about the animal.
Prepare a place for it.
Shelter
Fencing
Plan on how you will care for it.
Feed
Water
Hauling
Handling them if they are wild or
when they need vet care.

3. Keeping Livestock Healthy
Provide a safe facility
Look for hazards.
Make sure it is in good repair.
Provide shelter.

4. Keeping Livestock Healthy
Select Healthy Animals
Learn about the kind of animal you are buying before purchasing it.
Know what problems to look for
For example: Sheep – foot rot
Don’t bring problems home

5. Keeping Livestock Healthy
Haul your animals safely
Provide protection from the elements.
Sun
Wind
Rain

6. Keeping Livestock Healthy
Isolate new animals to prevent spreading diseases to your other animals.
Watch for signs of disease
Coughing
Nasal discharge
Diarrhea
Rapid breathing, panting

7. Keeping Livestock Healthy
Isolate new animals for at least 2 weeks.
Watch for fighting when you do add a new animal to a group.
Can be a serious problem with pigs
They can become overheated
May be injured

8. Keeping Livestock Healthy
Do not change the animal’s diet rapidly.
Find out what your animal has been eating.
Give it similar feed while it adjusts to its’ new home.
Do not change
amounts quickly.
Provide clean water.

9. Keeping Livestock Healthy
Vaccinate your animals
Learn what diseases are common in your area.
Check with the producer to see what vaccinations your animal has received.
Administer booster shots as needed.

10. Keeping Livestock Healthy
Monitor your animal’s health
Know what signs and symptoms to look for.
Example: “shipping fever” or pneumonia

11. Keeping Livestock Healthy
Monitor your animal’s health
Develop a routine for checking your animal
If your animal doesn’t come for feed,
don’t ignore it… check on it!
If your animal acts unusual,

12. Keeping Livestock Healthy
Look at your animal!
Check their feed and water regularly.
Don’t wait till “Saturday” to do something about a potential problem.
It might be too late!

13. Keeping Livestock Healthy
Be prepared
Learn what your animal’s normal temperature should be.
Have a rectal thermometer and know how it should be used.
Know who you will contact if your animal is really sick.

14. Keeping Livestock Healthy
Veterinary Practices Law
In Oregon it is illegal for someone other than a licensed veterinarian to diagnose and treat another person’s animal.
This includes 4-H Leaders and friends.
It is punishable with a fine.
Individual’s may diagnose and treat their own animals.

15. Keeping Livestock Healthy
When treatment is necessary:
Administer it as directed
Use correct method
Example: sub-cutaneous or intramuscular injection
Follow the timeline
Example: administer every 48 hours

16. Keeping Livestock Healthy
When treatment is necessary:
Administer it as directed
Use the product only as directed
By your veterinarian
According to the label instructions
Avoid “Meat Animal Drug.
Withdrawal” violations.
Avoid show rule violations.

17. Keeping Livestock Healthy
Develop a parasite prevention plan
Learn what parasites are problems for your area and type of animal.
Monitor for parasites.
Example: take fecal samples
Develop a schedule
Observe “Meat Animal
Drug Withdrawal”
periods.

18. Keeping Livestock Healthy
Preventing diseases is better than treating them
Generally less costly
And more successful
Animals that are sick tend to go “off feed” and don’t gain weight.
Some never completely
recover.
Some die!

19. Keeping Livestock Healthy
Tame your animal
Calm animals are healthier.
Reduce stress
Reduce disease

20. Keeping Livestock Healthy
Tame your animal
Hand feeding may be a better choice than using an automatic feeder.
Halter break animals early.
Brush or scratch them often.

21. Keeping Livestock Healthy
Keep facilities clean
Clean water
Help prevent coccidiosis – keep feces out of water.
Clean feed
Help prevent worms.
Clean pen
Help reduce pathogens.
Clean air
Help reduce respiratory infections.

22. Keeping Livestock Healthy
Be prepared.
Prevent problems before they happen.
Be vigilant – watch your animal.
Act quickly – seek help when needed.
Follow through on prescribed treatments.

23. Keeping Your 4-H Market Animals Healthy
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